TOPIC:

My grandfather was with the Northamptonshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion. MI. As a Lance Sergeant was wounded at Enslin December 1899 and again, as a Sergeant, at Sandbaker July 1901.

What weapons would he have been issued?

IanP
Welcome to the Forum. As a Mounted Infantryman, he would have been issued with a .303" Lee Metford Mk.1* rifle (or possibly the Mk.II version) and a Pattern 1888 bayonet. That was the same pattern of rifle generally issued to the infantry at the commencement of the campaign.
Regards
IL..

Hi Ian...…

Look Here for an idea...…

www.bing.com/images/search?q=lee+metford...d+boer+war&FORM=IGRE

also being mounted the might have used the Carbine.....

www.bing.com/images/search?q=Lee-Metford+Carbine&FORM=RESTAB

Hope this helps.....

Mike

Also Ian...…

Take a look at this 3 page thread...…

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/13-miscellany...ular-dum-dum?start=0

Mike

Mike and IanP
The Lee Metford Cavalry Carbine was officially only on issue to the Cavalry; later on - especially in the later phase of the campaign - one can see occasional photos of LM and LE Carbines in the hands of the MI. Possibly carried by Officers.
The links you provide do show the British rifles and Carbines to advantage.
As a matter of interest, the Cavalry got a bit sick of the ineffectiveness of the LM and LE Carbines in long range shooting. "Before Roberts left South Africa, the cavalry and other mounted troops had exchanged their carbines for longer-barrelled rifles in order to cope with the change to guerrilla warfare ….." - a quote from "Doctrine and Reform in the British Cavalry, 1880 -1918" by Stephen Badsley. A glance in "The 18th Hussars in South Africa" by Major Burnett will certainly show LM/LE rifles in use.
Thanks for showing the illustrative links.
Regards
IL.

Hello Ian,
Do see many 1888 Pattern bayonets down there, plenty still around here, although they tend to be Edwardian examples and actually encountering one that is worth having seems to be only a very seldom occurrence these days.
Regards Frank

LinneyI wrote: IanP
Welcome to the Forum. As a Mounted Infantryman, he would have been issued with a .303" Lee Metford Mk.1* rifle (or possibly the Mk.II version) and a Pattern 1888 bayonet. That was the same pattern of rifle generally issued to the infantry at the commencement of the campaign.
Regards
IL..